A Vietnamese delegation perform traditional musical instruments at a tourism promotion programme being held in San Francisco. — Photo courtesy of HCM City Tourism Department

HCM CITY — A delegation from the HCM City Department of Tourism is currently promoting local tourism at IMEX America 2023, the largest trade show in the US, being held at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas.

The tourism promotion activity is part of the department’s efforts to attract US travellers to Việt Nam, including HCM City.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, director of the department, said the Việt Nam – HCM City pavilion at the trade show was providing information about travel incentives and showcasing programmes to attract meetings, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) to the city.

The pavilion was also introducing typical tourist products and services.

Last week, the department collaborated with Vietnamese airlines, travel firms, and hotels to hold a tourism promotion programme in San Francisco.

The programme included a seminar on new tourism products and tourist sites, the introduction of tourism projects, and business-to-business meetings.

Some 100 tour operators from California participated in the programme.

The tourism promotion activities took place after Việt Nam and the US established a comprehensive strategic partnership last month, with tourism among the fields to be strengthened under the partnership, according to Hoa.

With Việt Nam’s eased visa policy, HCM City hopes to welcome overseas Vietnamese and US visitors to explore its unique cultural and historical features.

The city plans to launch tourism promotion programmes in the US over the next three years to expand its sustainable tourism market.

HCM City, Việt Nam’s largest economic hub, is likely to be the first destination in Việt Nam for foreigners, as it offers easy travel access to other regions and countries.

Many airlines are also establishing routes between Việt Nam and the US, contributing to meeting travel demands and boosting trade activities between the two nations.

Before the pandemic, the US was among the top ten tourist source markets for HCM City.

Foreign tourists on Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street in downtown HCM City. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

Last year, some 265,150 visitors from the US visited the city.

Việt Nam welcomed nearly 8.9 million international travellers between January and September this year, marking a 4.7-fold year-on-year increase, according to the General Statistics Office.

Among the ten largest source markets, the US ranked third in terms of arrivals to the Southeast Asian nation. — VNS